The Lappet-Faced Vulture (Torgos torgos tracheliotus) is a massive African vulture. It is also called the Nubian Vulture. It is a raptor and accipiter (like hawks, eagles, kites, and buzzards).

The Lappet-Faced Vulture is black-brown with white streaked underparts. Its head and its back of head are bare, with no feathers, and are bright pink and wrinkled. The wrinkles are called fleshy lappets. It has a large ivory or brown beak, with a grey cere.  It has dark-brown eyes. Its legs and feet are blue-grey with white thigh feathers called boots.

Lappet-Faced Vulture

It grows to 115 centimetres (45 inches) tall, with a wingspan of 250 centimetres (98 inches). It is the second largest vulture in the world (the largest is the Cinereous Vulture from Eurasia).

The Lappet-Faced Vulture is from eastern and southern Africa. It likes open plains, dry savannah, and grasslands.

It is a scavenger, feeding on dead animals, called carcasses.

It is generally a solitary bird, except when feeding on carcasses. It nests in trees. The nest is large and made of sticks, lined with leaves and hair. Females lay 1-2 eggs, which both parents sit on until they hatch after 54-56 days. The young chicks are fully feathered after 124-135 days.

Lappet-Faced Vulture

Lappet-Faced Vulture

Lappet-Faced Vulture

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM